Gospel Greats -- 'Blessed Assurance' Quiz

Answer: Jesus

The missing word is 'Jesus'.

'Blessed Assurance' is just one of an estimated 8,000 Gospel hymns written by Fanny Crosby. (She was called Frances Jane Crosby at birth and married Alexander van Alstyne but continued to write under her maiden name.) Crosby was born March 24, 1820, in Brewster, New York, and she died February 12, 1915, in Bridgeport, Connecticut.

Answer: glory

The missing word is 'glory'.

Although Wikipedia credits Crosby with writing 8,000 Gospel hymns, some Websites claim she wrote more than 9,000 hymns as a number of them were published under pseudonyms. Legend has it hymnal publishers insisted Crosby use pseudonyms because if she didn't it would appear as if she wrote the overwhelming majority of songs in any hymn book they published.

Answer: salvation

The missing word is 'salvation'.

According to Hymnary.org, Fanny Crosby used a large number of pseudonyms when she wrote hymns. Here is a list of pseudonyms of Fanny Crosby from Hymnary.org: "A.V., Mrs. A.E. Andrews, Mrs. E.A. Andrews, Mrs. E.L. Andrews, James L. Black, Henrietta E. Blair, Charles Bruce, Robert Bruce, Leah Carlton, Eleanor Craddock, Lyman G. Cuyler, D.H.W., Ella Dare, Ellen Dare, Lizzie Edwards, Miss Grace Elliot, Grace J. Frances, Victoria Frances, Jennie Garnett, Frank Gould, Frances Hope, Annie L. James, Martha J. Lankton, Grace Lindsey, Maud Marion, Sallie Martin, Alice Monteith, Mrs. N. D. Plume, Sallie Smith, J.L. Sterling, John Sterling, Julia Sterling, Ida Scott Taylor, Mary R. Tilden, Carrie M. Wilson, Clara M. Wilson, and W.H.D."

Answer: blood

The missing word is 'blood'.

Fanny Crosby's writing of 8,000 hymns is a monstrous achievement. To put things in perspective, if someone wrote one hymn every day, it would take more than 21 years to produce 8,000 hymns!

What makes Crosby's achievements even more remarkable is the fact she was blind. Crosby is quoted in various periodicals as saying an incorrect diagnosis by a doctor caused her blindness when she was six weeks old.

Wikipedia offers a slightly different view, suggesting she was blind at birth.

"At six weeks old, Crosby caught a cold and developed inflammation of the eyes," Wikipedia reports. "Mustard poultices were applied to treat the discharges. According to Crosby, this procedure damaged her optic nerves and blinded her but modern physicians think that her blindness was more likely congenital and, given her age, may simply not have been noticed by her parents."

Answer: story

The missing word is 'story'.

Wikipedia reports Fanny Crosby wrote her first poem at the age of eight, describing her life of being blind.

"It seemed intended by the blessed providence of God that I should be blind all my life, and I thank Him for the dispensation," Crosby is quoted in the book 'Fanny Crosby; America's Hymn Queen, Glimpses of Christian History'. "If perfect earthly sight were offered me tomorrow I would not accept it. I might not have sung hymns to the praise of God if I had been distracted by the beautiful and interesting things about me."

Answer: all the day long

The four missing words are 'all the day long'.

Fanny Crosby didn't seem to mind that she had to go through life blind and looked forward to the major blessing she said awaited her.

"When I get to heaven, the first face that shall ever gladden my sight will be that of my Savior," she is quoted as saying by Wikipedia.

Wikipedia goes on to state that when asked about her blindness, Crosby was reported as saying that "had it not been for her affliction she might not have so good an education or have so great an influence, and certainly not so fine a memory".

Answer: rapture

The missing word is 'rapture'.

Fanny Crosby was educated at the New York Institute for the Blind and later served as a teacher at the facility. According to Wikipedia, while teaching at the New York Institute for the Blind, Crosby became good friends with future U.S. president Grover Cleveland.

"Cleveland and Crosby spent many hours together at the end of each day, and Cleveland often transcribed the poems Crosby dictated to him," Wikipedia reports. "Cleveland wrote a recommendation for Crosby which was published in her 1906 autobiography."

Answer: echoes

The missing word is 'echoes'.

Fanny Crosby wrote the classic hymn 'Blessed Assurance' in 1873 and Phoebe P. Knapp put the words to music. According to Wikipedia, the lyrics are based on Hebrews 10:22. The verse in the NKJV reads as follows: "Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water."

Answer: submission

The missing word is 'submission'.

The Website Bibleplanet.com tells of a conversation between Fanny Crosby and Phoebe P. Knapp which gave birth to the hymn 'Blessed Assurance'.

Knapp told Crosby she had a melody racing through her mind and suggested if she played the tune on a piano, Crosby might be able to come up with some words for a hymn.

Bibleplanet.com reports "after kneeling in prayer and clutching her little Bible" Crosby stood to her feet with face aglow and proclaimed words for the tune: "Blessed Assurance, Jesus is mine! O what a foretaste of glory divine. . ."

Answer: love

The missing word is 'love'.

The words to 'Blessed Assurance' were published in the July 1873 issue of Palmer's Guide to Holiness and Revival Miscellany, a New York based magazine.

According to Wikipedia, 'Blessed Assurance' reflects Crosby's walk of faith, as expressed by the apostle Paul in Philippians 1:21, "For me, to live is Christ and to die is gain."

Here are the words to the classic hymn 'Blessed Assurance':

"Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!
Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.

Refrain:
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long;
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long.

Perfect submission, perfect delight,
Visions of rapture now burst on my sight;
Angels, descending, bring from above
Echoes of mercy, whispers of love.

Refrain:
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long;
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long.

Perfect submission, all is at rest,
I in my Savior am happy and blest,
Watching and waiting, looking above,
Filled with His goodness, lost in His love.

Refrain:
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long;
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long."